Gun Control Standoff

Both sides remain unmoved in bitter debate. Gun control continues to inflame public opinion three decades after passage of the first broad federal firearms law. Gun control supporters blame the high rate of violent crime and the large number of gun accidents and suicides on the easy availability of firearms and lax licensing and safety rules. Opponents argue that access to firearms deters crime and note that gun homicides are decreasing and fatal gun accidents are at a record low rate. Recently, gun control supporters have been pushing safety initiatives. They scored a partial victory in October when gun manufacturers in the United States agreed to include trigger locks on handguns. But they suffered a defeat in November when voters in Washington state rejected a measure to require safety training for all gun users.